Choices Make Shabu Shabu a Hit at Hanaki

February 13, 2011

Story By: Dining Out Team |

When Hanaki Restaurant first opened its doors 15 years ago, it was better known for its all-you-can-eat buffet. But last spring, Hanaki decided to venture off in a new direction by offering customers the best in shabu shabu and tasty Japanese cuisine.

The door to shabu shabu service opened last spring for general manager Mark Mitsuyoshi.

Customers are encouraged to be their own shabu shabu chef at Hanaki Restaurant.

Patrons choose the green bowls for vegetables and the red bowls for beef, chicken, shrimp, etc.

Today, general manager Mark Mitsuyoshi dares diners to be their own shabu shabu chef, cooking up their own personalized cuisine for lunch and dinner.

“Shabu shabu is very interactive. Instead of ordering a set plate with all different combinations, you now can actually choose the different types of ingredients you want to include in your meal,” Mitsuyoshi says. “If you want a lot of vegetables, you can choose which vegetables you want. If you like meats and seafoods, you can choose those too.”

“People like to include the ramen noodles in their shabu shubu,” Mitsuyoshi states, adding that there’s also a wide selection of vegetables, meats and seafood that diners like to add to the mix. Prices vary based on the selected soup base and ingredients.

Yet, if you’re craving udon or donburi, Hanaki has you covered. Udon bowls range from $10.95 to $12.95, with the most popular being the Nabeyaki Udon. For $12.95, guests can partake in this savory udon complete with Hanaki’s famous shrimp tempura, chicken egg and vegetables.

And when ordering donburi, diners can easily substitute rice for udon noodles, if they prefer.